In many industrial and commercial buildings, the electrical wiring is often exposed and therefore subject to potential damage. To reduce the chances of inadvertent damage to these electrical wires, a flexible metal cladding is typically applied to these electrical wires. The cladding usually takes the form of a spirally-wrapped metal housing which is flexible and which has corrugations on the outer surface.
In use, the metal cladding provides significant protection against damage to the electrical wires therein. However, the metal clad cable, while solving one problem, introduces two additional factors which must be dealt with. First, it is important to ground the metal clad cable to avoid short circuits and electrical accidents. In addition, the cable is somewhat heavy and therefore needs a strong and durable connector at its end where the internal electrical wires are actually coupled to an electrical junction box.
Many attempts have been made in the past to provide connectors for metal clad cable that are also capable of grounding the cable; however, they have numerous disadvantages. For one thing, many of these prior devices cannot be reused once the metal clad cable is coupled thereto and thus additional costs are involved to provide additional connectors or internal parts. Second, many of the prior devices cannot be easily reused or disconnected from the metal clad cable. Finally, many of these prior metal clad connectors are complex to make, assemble, use and reuse.
Examples of these prior connectors are disclosed in the following U.S. Pat. Nos.: 2,816,949 to Curtiss; 3,567,843 to Collins et al; 4,022,966 to Gajajiva; 4,046,451 to Juds et al; 4,273,405 to Law; 4,490,576 to Bolante et al; 4,515,991 to Hutchison; 4,549,037 to Bawa et al; 4,549,755 to Kot et al; and 4,692,562 to Nattel.
Thus, there is a continuing need to provide improved metal clad cable connectors.